WCTA Status Report - June 2016

prepared by Jerry Rousseau

In the past, May/June was relatively quiet for golf/turf management associations and is when we would typically try to get caught up administratively, do our fall/winter/conference planning work, look after annual tasks like updating database records/member analytics and the like.   

Since 2009, when the pesticide issue came to the forefront, things have changed.  2016 has been another very busy spring working on initiatives that will improve the association/industry and addressing external factors that can negatively affect us, mostly regulatory matters but also public/media perception challenges. 

These issues vary in importance and are sometimes difficult to prioritize but we need to consistently be at the table and part of the conversation with decision-makers.  It’s critical we purvey the societal, environmental and economic benefits the golf and sportsturf industry brings to our communities.

There are several initiatives in flux that we’re not quite ready to report on but here are some current highlights:

AGA-BC Receives Additional $20k to Fund New IPM Manual
The Allied Golf Association of British Columbia (AGA-BC) is very pleased to announce BC Minister of Environment, the Honorable Mary Polak, has authorized an additional $20,000 in funding for the creation of a new Integrated Pest Management resource for turfgrass managers.

Jerry’s comments – AGA-BC has a good, hard-working Board but relying on volunteers makes it difficult to react to situations and generally move things forward.  The WCTA continues making efforts to help drive the group which is providing some excellent results.  Credit for the additional $20k should really go to Trevor Smith who lobbied extensively, attended several events on his own dime and stated the need for gov’t to support this resource.  We now have $35k which should cover the manual’s full cost and Mario Lanthier has been retained.  Work is in the very preliminary stages but we remain hopeful the online, free manual will be ready later this fall.

First Ever 'First Green Sportsfield Edition'
On May 26, 2016, the Township of Langley (TOL) Parks Department partnered with Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), Western Canada Turfgrass Association (WCTA) and Sports Turf Canada (STC) to provide an outdoor educational program to a group of Langley Seconday School grade 9 students.

Jerry’s comments – We’ve been working with First Green out of Seattle for a couple years now to develop and expand their program into Canada.  Their work started on golf courses, has been super-successful and was show-cased at the Chambers Bay US Open. This is an outstanding program that teaches kids science, technology, engineering and math using basic principles on a golf course plus they get to hit a few balls.  It’s far more than a ‘learn-to-play-golf’ program and according to Kris Jonnassen, BC Golf Association, “It’s the future of golf.”  It’s also an opportunity to engage with the local community and gives kids a basic understanding of what it takes to build and maintain a golf course (and why they benefit our communities).  The sportsfield version was a natural progression and the first ever anywhere in the world, something I think says a lot about the industry here and our diversity.  The First Green people are thrilled and looking for more big things out of western Canada.  Contact Stan Kazymerchyk if you’d like to host a First Green event at your golf course:  Stan.Kazymerchyk@kpu.ca  

Western Canada Turfgrass Association Announces 2017 Conference and Trade Show
Catering to the professional golf and sportsturf management industry, the WCTA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 54th Annual WCTA Conference and Trade Show will take place at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Penticton, British Columbia, February 15-17, 2017

Jerry’s comments – The first organizing committee meeting took place a couple weeks ago and we’re currently working on theming the educational program; environmental considerations/climate change is the current frontrunner but if you have comments, please let me know.  In the overall, our vision for 2017 is to provide a world-class, locally relevant, affordable education and social networking program for turf management professionals from multiple sectors of the industry throughout western Canada and beyond.  It’s no secret that associations rely on conference revenue and as such, we’ll need full support of this year’s show to ensure we can continue all the industry advocacy and member service work being done.

Assistant Applicator Site Live
Beginning July 1, 2016 everyone who applies pesticides in British Columbia needs to be certified or trained (using the Ministry of Environment's online course). The Assistant Applicator training will be most relevant to those in the Industrial Veg. & Noxious Weed, Forestry, Landscape & Structural sectors

Jerry’s comments – The new regulations include other things, ie. every golf course will need to have a Pesticide Use Licence, implement an IPM program, employ certified applicators, post notices and so on.

Water Shortage Response Plan Amended
Metro-Vancouver released its amended Water Shortage Reponse Plan (WSRP) May 6, 2016.  The most obvious change from the previous policy is an automatic activation of Stage 1 restrictions on May 15 of each year.

Jerry’s comments – Many other districts will follow Metro-Vancouver’s lead in terms of water conservation policy and is why we are engaged in a lobby effort.  Metro-Van has approached us to provide irrigation use data for the 67 area golf facilities (not including driving ranges) but the information does not exist so on behalf of AGA-BC, we have put together a survey which is now underway.  The information will be critical for the golf industry’s lobby efforts and it will be helpful to extend the survey throughout BC in the future.   

Status of Re-evaluation of Chlorothalonil
In February of this year, the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) presented an amendment to a re-evaluation decision with regards to the fungicide, chlorothalonil.  This amendment would restrict the turfgrass use of this fungicide to a single fall application for the prevention of snow mould.

Jerry’s comments – No they don’t have it out for sportsturf, these products are widely used through many different sectors and are all evaluated on a 15 year cycle.  The WCTA worked with the CGSA to coordinate our submissions, the latter was released this morning (May 30) and ours will be sent/posted this afternoon.  WCTA participated in a PMRA national chlorothalonil webinar, here is an excerpt from the summary report:

Question 1: Chlorothalonil has been used in many programs in many crops. Is there evidence of any health risks or effects documented to date because of chlorthalonil? We have been using it for a very long time without incident, shouldn’t PMRA use information that captures this? Chlorothalonil is used in many disease management programs, taking it away will cost growers and cause the cost of food to increase. We don’t have products to replace chlorothalonil. There have been no incidents in 45 years of use, only dermatitis.
PMRA Response:
• Chlorothalonil has been used for a long time. According to the Pest Control Products Act, registered pesticides are re-evaluated on a 15-year cycle irrespective of whether they are insecticides, fungicides or herbicides, to ensure that they continue to meet modern standards for human health and environmental protection, and provide value.
• Information relating to health effects (or lack of health effects) resulting from chlorothalonil use could be obtained from incident reports or epidemiology studies. PMRA is not aware of this type of information being available for chlorothalonil.
• While PMRA does have the incident reporting program, this program would not be able to clearly delineate long term exposures that may result in certain conditions, for instance, cancer which could be associated with other exposure scenarios and living behaviors. Large scale epidemiological studies were not available; therefore PMRA relied on animal toxicity studies. If there is a long term study or epidemiology studies available and submitted, PMRA will consider it in the review of chlorothalonil.
• PMRA is aware of how important this chemical is. This is a consultation document, and PMRA is asking user groups and registrants to provide information in areas that may refine the risk assessments. Please refer to slide 14 for examples of information that could be used to refine the risk assessment. This is a proposed decision for consultation and is not a final decision; PMRA will consider any new relevant information submitted during this consultation period before making a final decision.

Other ‘stuff’
• work on our summer event/meeting schedule continues and there are already many allied events on the books (that we will participate in time permitting).  Internally, we’re in the process of organizing a major field day in Calgary this August and another First Green event before school lets out.
• communication efforts are being bolstered with a move to 4 digital Turf Line News magazines plus 2 hardcopies per year (from 4 hardcopy) with the first digital edition launched this past April. 
• the Canadian Turf Research Foundation is expected to announce their administrative service provider soon.  An RFP was circulated in February for the tender – the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association has been providing management services pro bono for the past several years subsequent to the RCGA dropping the program due to budget cuts.  The WCTA Board felt this association is perfectly suited to manage the national turf research funding body (and a registered charity) and submitted a proposal for the contract.  If successful, we will be spending some time over the next few months setting up systems for this new function.
• tracking software for pesticide applicator points has been in development, Phase 3 is complete and work on Phases 4 has begun. 
• We’ll be working on an iprodione submission to PMRA.

There’s a lot more happening but I’ll end it here.  Updates are made constantly at www.wcta-online.com

Respectfully submitted,

Jerry Rousseau, WCTA Executive Director